Jon Parry
@jonparryhis.bsky.social
Retired university History teacher. Modern British politics. Short history of British Liberalism published by Agenda April 2025. Occasional LRB reviewer. Part-time resident and unofficial chronicler of Sark.
Reposted by Jon Parry
‘Charles Townshend compared the Sudanese response to the Spartans’ heroics against the Persians: “No troops in the world could have lived under that fire. No Europeans would have faced it.”’
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on the British army in Egypt and Sudan: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on the British army in Egypt and Sudan: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Jonathan Parry · Every Mother’s Son: Britain in Sudan
www.lrb.co.uk
July 17, 2025 at 6:10 PM
‘Charles Townshend compared the Sudanese response to the Spartans’ heroics against the Persians: “No troops in the world could have lived under that fire. No Europeans would have faced it.”’
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on the British army in Egypt and Sudan: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on the British army in Egypt and Sudan: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Reposted by Jon Parry
‘The single-minded slaughter was mixed with admiration for the extraordinary courage of the enemy troops, who invariably faced the British onslaught without flinching.’
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on the British army in Egypt and Sudan in the late 19th century: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on the British army in Egypt and Sudan in the late 19th century: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Jonathan Parry · Every Mother’s Son: Britain in Sudan
www.lrb.co.uk
July 19, 2025 at 1:32 PM
‘The single-minded slaughter was mixed with admiration for the extraordinary courage of the enemy troops, who invariably faced the British onslaught without flinching.’
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on the British army in Egypt and Sudan in the late 19th century: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on the British army in Egypt and Sudan in the late 19th century: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Reposted by Jon Parry
Also in this issue:
Colin Burrow on satire
Jon Day on rat sociology
Becca Rothfeld on Tony Tulathimutte’s anti-autofiction
Ange Mlinko reviews Michelle de Kretser's 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦
Stephen Buryani on proteins gone rogue
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on Britain in Sudan
David Trotter on golf ...
Colin Burrow on satire
Jon Day on rat sociology
Becca Rothfeld on Tony Tulathimutte’s anti-autofiction
Ange Mlinko reviews Michelle de Kretser's 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦
Stephen Buryani on proteins gone rogue
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on Britain in Sudan
David Trotter on golf ...
July 16, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Also in this issue:
Colin Burrow on satire
Jon Day on rat sociology
Becca Rothfeld on Tony Tulathimutte’s anti-autofiction
Ange Mlinko reviews Michelle de Kretser's 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦
Stephen Buryani on proteins gone rogue
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on Britain in Sudan
David Trotter on golf ...
Colin Burrow on satire
Jon Day on rat sociology
Becca Rothfeld on Tony Tulathimutte’s anti-autofiction
Ange Mlinko reviews Michelle de Kretser's 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦
Stephen Buryani on proteins gone rogue
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on Britain in Sudan
David Trotter on golf ...
Excellent opportunity for the right 19th-century political historian here
Of interest to historians. Full time, permanent, £33,000 to £37,000, at Kew.
'The National Archives is looking for two Records Specialist to join our Collections Expertise & Engagement department, where we use our expert knowledge to inspire audiences and make them differently about archives.'
'The National Archives is looking for two Records Specialist to join our Collections Expertise & Engagement department, where we use our expert knowledge to inspire audiences and make them differently about archives.'
Records Specialist: 19th Century/Modern Parliament at The National Archives
Start your UK & international job search for academic jobs, research jobs, science jobs and managerial jobs in leading universities and top...
www.jobs.ac.uk
July 7, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Excellent opportunity for the right 19th-century political historian here
Mark Pack was kind enough to give me some time to discuss my take on British Liberalism in his monthly podcast:
Liberalism: a great new book focusing on what politicians do
Jonathan Parry's book, Liberalism, explores the history of liberalism as a political idea in Britain. He came on my podcast to discuss it.
www.markpack.org.uk
June 8, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Mark Pack was kind enough to give me some time to discuss my take on British Liberalism in his monthly podcast:
Reposted by Jon Parry
“Jonathan Parry is uniquely qualified to write the history of Liberalism in Britain... a pithy, original, and trenchant analysis.”
Anthony Howe on 'Liberalism' by @jonparryhis.bsky.social,
- the latest in our Short Histories series.
agendapub.com/page/series-...
@libhistorytoday.bsky.social
Anthony Howe on 'Liberalism' by @jonparryhis.bsky.social,
- the latest in our Short Histories series.
agendapub.com/page/series-...
@libhistorytoday.bsky.social
May 13, 2025 at 9:50 AM
“Jonathan Parry is uniquely qualified to write the history of Liberalism in Britain... a pithy, original, and trenchant analysis.”
Anthony Howe on 'Liberalism' by @jonparryhis.bsky.social,
- the latest in our Short Histories series.
agendapub.com/page/series-...
@libhistorytoday.bsky.social
Anthony Howe on 'Liberalism' by @jonparryhis.bsky.social,
- the latest in our Short Histories series.
agendapub.com/page/series-...
@libhistorytoday.bsky.social
Reposted by Jon Parry
I fear that Labour is falling into the same trap that the Tories did – leaning on hostile rhetoric around immigration and damaging our public services and our economy in the process.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Keir Starmer promises migration drop as he unveils plans for 'tighter' visa rules
Plans to ban the recruitment of care workers from overseas are among efforts to curb near record net migration.
www.bbc.co.uk
May 12, 2025 at 5:49 PM
I fear that Labour is falling into the same trap that the Tories did – leaning on hostile rhetoric around immigration and damaging our public services and our economy in the process.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Jon Parry
Canada's new PM, Mark Carney, is pivoting from U.S. dependence to European partnerships. Facing U.S. tariffs and annexation threats, Canada seeks deeper ties with Europe on trade, energy, and Arctic security.
Questions of sovereignty: Canada’s relations with Europe after the general election
Europeans should begin seeking new opportunities to work with Canada under Mark Carney…
bit.ly
May 6, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Canada's new PM, Mark Carney, is pivoting from U.S. dependence to European partnerships. Facing U.S. tariffs and annexation threats, Canada seeks deeper ties with Europe on trade, energy, and Arctic security.
Reposted by Jon Parry
This is also important for its electoral system effects - being either the incumbent or the best place local opponents makes it easier to win tactical supports. Reform being in second place wherever they don't win poses an existential threat to the Conservatives down the line
We know Reform are winning lots of seats, but look at this under the bonnet - they dominate 2nd places too - in wards Labour, Tories, Lib Dems & Greens won Reform was most likely to have come 2nd in all of them. Thinking today *must* be a high water mark for Reform is a mistake as more ground to go
May 2, 2025 at 7:06 PM
This is also important for its electoral system effects - being either the incumbent or the best place local opponents makes it easier to win tactical supports. Reform being in second place wherever they don't win poses an existential threat to the Conservatives down the line
Reposted by Jon Parry
Another way of looking at that deadly pincer movement facing the Conservatives - look at how they get squashed between Reform and the Lib Dems in Devon on this chart.
May 2, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Another way of looking at that deadly pincer movement facing the Conservatives - look at how they get squashed between Reform and the Lib Dems in Devon on this chart.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I wonder whether anyone in the Conservative leadership had the foresight to see in 2015 that the Osborne boast of ‘decapitating’ the Lib Dems rather than fighting in constructive alliance with them would in fact end up decapitating the Conservative Party
May 2, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I wonder whether anyone in the Conservative leadership had the foresight to see in 2015 that the Osborne boast of ‘decapitating’ the Lib Dems rather than fighting in constructive alliance with them would in fact end up decapitating the Conservative Party
Reposted by Jon Parry
‘As great powers Russia and Britain had very few clashing interests. Though both wanted to expand, they could do so for many thousands of miles across Asia without interfering with each other.’
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on Russia and England in the 19th century: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on Russia and England in the 19th century: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Jonathan Parry · Dancing the Mazurka: Anglo-Russian Relations
In the 18th and 19th centuries, Britain and Russia did not seek to divide the world between them and very rarely pointed...
www.lrb.co.uk
April 29, 2025 at 3:30 PM
‘As great powers Russia and Britain had very few clashing interests. Though both wanted to expand, they could do so for many thousands of miles across Asia without interfering with each other.’
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on Russia and England in the 19th century: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on Russia and England in the 19th century: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
I’ve written something for Lib Dems about getting the balance right between ethical ideals & political campaigning. I argue there is a coherent Liberalism which is also politically savvy. And that a lot of Liberal history sets out how to do it. And, as it happens, I’ve just written the book on it!
Political Liberalism
How do we apply Liberalism in day-to-day politics? A thoughtful new book, When We Speak of Freedom, edited by Paul Hindley and Benjamin Wood, deserves more discussion here. The subtitle is ‘Radical L...
www.libdemvoice.org
April 29, 2025 at 9:40 AM
I’ve written something for Lib Dems about getting the balance right between ethical ideals & political campaigning. I argue there is a coherent Liberalism which is also politically savvy. And that a lot of Liberal history sets out how to do it. And, as it happens, I’ve just written the book on it!
There’s a very good book to be written on that topic by someone
It's impressively confusing that two large Commonwealth countries are having elections in the same week where the Liberals are one of the two contenders, but in Canada they're the centre-left party who're expected to win and in Australia they're the centre-right party who are expected to lose
🇨🇦 A good set of final polls means the Liberals' chances of winning tomorrow's election have jumped up to 88% in our forecast
April 27, 2025 at 3:08 PM
There’s a very good book to be written on that topic by someone
An excellent and timely combination!
The Kelly / Sleat postliberalism double act forthcoming from @politybooks.bsky.social - @lsegovernment.bsky.social
April 27, 2025 at 3:04 PM
An excellent and timely combination!
Reposted by Jon Parry
Modern patriotism.
www.ft.com/content/b133...
www.ft.com/content/b133...
April 26, 2025 at 11:43 AM
Modern patriotism.
www.ft.com/content/b133...
www.ft.com/content/b133...
Reposted by Jon Parry
‘In 1836, John Stuart Mill claimed that the government had become “smitten with Russophobia”, an irrational panic that had triggered an unnecessary increase in defence spending. “Russophobia” has never quite left British public debate since.’
@jonparryhis.bsky.social: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@jonparryhis.bsky.social: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Jonathan Parry · Dancing the Mazurka: Anglo-Russian Relations
In the 18th and 19th centuries, Britain and Russia did not seek to divide the world between them and very rarely pointed...
www.lrb.co.uk
April 25, 2025 at 9:31 AM
‘In 1836, John Stuart Mill claimed that the government had become “smitten with Russophobia”, an irrational panic that had triggered an unnecessary increase in defence spending. “Russophobia” has never quite left British public debate since.’
@jonparryhis.bsky.social: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@jonparryhis.bsky.social: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Reposted by Jon Parry
‘The press peddled excited theories about Russia’s ambitions for world domination, which Disraeli happily indulged in order to show that in his genius he could stop its armies reaching even the Mediterranean.’
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on the origins of ‘Russophobia’: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on the origins of ‘Russophobia’: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Jonathan Parry · Dancing the Mazurka: Anglo-Russian Relations
In the 18th and 19th centuries, Britain and Russia did not seek to divide the world between them and very rarely pointed...
www.lrb.co.uk
April 22, 2025 at 3:05 PM
‘The press peddled excited theories about Russia’s ambitions for world domination, which Disraeli happily indulged in order to show that in his genius he could stop its armies reaching even the Mediterranean.’
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on the origins of ‘Russophobia’: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on the origins of ‘Russophobia’: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Reposted by Jon Parry
‘The history of Anglo-Russian relations is interesting not just in itself but because, when tensions have arisen, they have usually been prompted less by British or Russian behaviour than by extraneous factors.’
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on England’s ‘Russophobia’: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on England’s ‘Russophobia’: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Jonathan Parry · Dancing the Mazurka: Anglo-Russian Relations
In the 18th and 19th centuries, Britain and Russia did not seek to divide the world between them and very rarely pointed...
www.lrb.co.uk
April 20, 2025 at 12:30 PM
‘The history of Anglo-Russian relations is interesting not just in itself but because, when tensions have arisen, they have usually been prompted less by British or Russian behaviour than by extraneous factors.’
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on England’s ‘Russophobia’: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on England’s ‘Russophobia’: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Reposted by Jon Parry
Calling all Disraeli fans 📢📢 Our new edited volume is out now, Open Access! Ft. essays by @jonparryhis.bsky.social @davidjeffery.bsky.social, Peter Ghosh, Freya Johnson, Alex Middleton and many, many more. Please share! journals.openedition.org/cve/15440
101 Printemps | 2025 Benjamin Disraeli (1804‒1881): His Lives and ...
Les articles réunis dans ce volume sont issus du colloque de la SFEVE sur « Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881) : His Lives and Afterlives » organisé les 25 et 26 janvier 2024 par Catherine Marshall, en...
journals.openedition.org
April 17, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Calling all Disraeli fans 📢📢 Our new edited volume is out now, Open Access! Ft. essays by @jonparryhis.bsky.social @davidjeffery.bsky.social, Peter Ghosh, Freya Johnson, Alex Middleton and many, many more. Please share! journals.openedition.org/cve/15440
I wrote something about Disraeli’s sociological vision, as worked out in his late novels: journals.openedition.org/cve/15795
Disraeli’s Late Novels and Tory Political Sociology
Disraeli’s novels abound in social commentary and historical generalisations. As a result, historians have long mined them in the hope of understanding his personal political philosophy. Specific b...
journals.openedition.org
April 15, 2025 at 9:58 AM
I wrote something about Disraeli’s sociological vision, as worked out in his late novels: journals.openedition.org/cve/15795
Reposted by Jon Parry
‘For the last two hundred years, Western fears about Russia have ultimately stemmed from politics more than geopolitics: from liberal distrust of the unpredictability and violence of absolutism.’
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on Russia and England in the 19th century: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on Russia and England in the 19th century: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Jonathan Parry · Dancing the Mazurka: Anglo-Russian Relations
In the 18th and 19th centuries, Britain and Russia did not seek to divide the world between them and very rarely pointed...
www.lrb.co.uk
April 14, 2025 at 8:00 AM
‘For the last two hundred years, Western fears about Russia have ultimately stemmed from politics more than geopolitics: from liberal distrust of the unpredictability and violence of absolutism.’
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on Russia and England in the 19th century: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on Russia and England in the 19th century: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Reposted by Jon Parry
‘As great powers Russia and Britain had very few clashing interests. Though both wanted to expand, they could do so for many thousands of miles across Asia without interfering with each other.’
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on Russia and England in the 19th century: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on Russia and England in the 19th century: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Jonathan Parry · Dancing the Mazurka: Anglo-Russian Relations
In the 18th and 19th centuries, Britain and Russia did not seek to divide the world between them and very rarely pointed...
www.lrb.co.uk
April 12, 2025 at 5:30 PM
‘As great powers Russia and Britain had very few clashing interests. Though both wanted to expand, they could do so for many thousands of miles across Asia without interfering with each other.’
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on Russia and England in the 19th century: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@jonparryhis.bsky.social on Russia and England in the 19th century: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Reposted by Jon Parry
‘In 1836, John Stuart Mill claimed that the government had become “smitten with Russophobia”, an irrational panic that had triggered an unnecessary increase in defence spending. “Russophobia” has never quite left British public debate since.’
@jonparryhis.bsky.social: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@jonparryhis.bsky.social: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Jonathan Parry · Dancing the Mazurka: Anglo-Russian Relations
In the 18th and 19th centuries, Britain and Russia did not seek to divide the world between them and very rarely pointed...
www.lrb.co.uk
April 11, 2025 at 9:24 AM
‘In 1836, John Stuart Mill claimed that the government had become “smitten with Russophobia”, an irrational panic that had triggered an unnecessary increase in defence spending. “Russophobia” has never quite left British public debate since.’
@jonparryhis.bsky.social: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@jonparryhis.bsky.social: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
I’ve written something for @libdemvoice.org about how the present crisis might allow Lib Dems and other liberal-minded people to rally a coalition of supporters against Trump/Farage populism and connect with the party’s history: www.libdemvoice.org/is-this-a-li...
Is this a Liberal moment?
Can the election of Donald Trump be a major opportunity for Liberal Democrats? Quite possibly, though the jury is still out. In fact I’ve just written a short history of British Liberalism which ends ...
www.libdemvoice.org
April 8, 2025 at 9:35 AM
I’ve written something for @libdemvoice.org about how the present crisis might allow Lib Dems and other liberal-minded people to rally a coalition of supporters against Trump/Farage populism and connect with the party’s history: www.libdemvoice.org/is-this-a-li...